Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Mohammed Yaseen, Staff Reporter

The Dubai Court of Appeal upheld a verdict issued by the Court of First Instance sentencing two Africans to three years in jail to be followed by deportation and fining them Dhs183,000 for stealing the same amount of the fine, three mobile phones, documents and cheques from an Asian investor and an Asian man.

The defendants defrauded the victims with a fake digital currency, assaulted them inside the Asian investor’s house and threatened to kill them.

The case dates back to July last year when an Asian investor filed a complaint in which he stated that he had been robbed and assaulted inside his house in Al Mankhool area in Dubai.

The victim said one of his friend (second victim) suggested that he invest in the digital currency and gave him the number of a Bitcoin promoter, adding that he contacted him and agreed with him to buy the currency at his residence.

The victim said he agreed with the broker on a date for buying the currency and on the agreed day, the broker came to the agreed place and inquired about the cash money required to buy the digital currency.

The broker saw the money inside a bag and 15 minutes later, he left and told them he would return again with the seller of the digital currency.

The victim waited in his house for the seller and a few minutes later he received a call from the broker telling him that the seller regretted not being able to come because he was afraid of completing the transaction in the investor’s house.

The investor, however, was surprised by the defendants knocking the door of his house and assaulting him before spraying a chemical on his face. They also assaulted his friend and tied both of them before stealing a bag containing Dhs183,000, three mobile phones, documents and cheques. The victim called the police and told them what happened.

According to the official documents, a team of detectives gathered inferences and managed to locate the defendants and to arrest them in a neighbouring emirate. After searching the defendants’ house, the police found the victim’s empty bag.

On interrogation, the defendants confessed to having stolen the money from the victim after being requested by Asians to do so in return for Dhs20,000 each.